“You know what Yesaya…you and I are meant just to be friends. Nothing else….”

“That’s not what I want from you Jacqueline …”

“What do you want?”

“I already told you. I want you to be my girlfriend…isn’t this where our friendship was going”

“Mmm No!”

The girl in question was Jacqueline. She gave me a tone of headaches on campus. Jacque was always in my head like a brain and to be honest I liked her. And I did just not like her but I adored her. The first time we bumped into each other was at a group discussion ahead of the mid semester exams. Her presence kept telling me different stories parallel to what we were discussing. I said ‘Hi’, but her lips refused to smile to Mr. nobody. However I managed to get her contact number. I called her couple of times but the conversations went too dry. She ignored all my efforts in smartest way. I decided just to succumb and continue my normal life.

The semester then ended. I spent my festive holiday at home and on this day I took my phone and logged on Facebook. The first thing I noticed was a friend request from ‘Jacqueline’. “Oh the way she casted me out like a demon she had the guts to send me a request,” I murmured. I accepted it. Later in the day she texted and an interesting conversation kicked off from nowhere. It was as if we were good friends from the start.

The second semester opened and I was really disappointed of not achieving what I had failed. Yes being more than a friend to Jacqueline. I started the mission with all hope but Jacque was hard to break like coconut. The fact that we were good friends on campus did not guarantee me the boarder pass into her heart. I was bored. “But Jacqueline why??

“I told you its personal. Let’s just be good friends, that’s all I can say”

Though it was hard to accept, I walked out of her life for good. From that day I avoided her like an enemy.

I sat on a desk in classroom 12 busy copying notes. The persistent blackouts forced me to rely on hard copies, and the cheapest means was copying them. I detested studying in the evening because of the congestion in the classrooms. “Hello there?” someone ambushed me. I looked It was Jacqueline. “This is where you hide? I haven’t seen you for a while. Am I the reason for your hiding?”

“No you are not. Its just I don’t feel comfortable around you. I end up being that fool who always thinks too much and never concentrates. It’s better just to get you out my sight. That’s all am doing since I can’t completely get you off my mind despite kicking me away…..” “Oh…” she looked into my eyes with a surprise. I used be nice to her, but then I had nothing to lose and the fight was over. “The thing is you don’t understand. You are such a guy no girl can resist. I appreciate your effort to love me but we cannot be what you want.” “Why?” she sighed and replied “Let’s just be friends” She walked out of the room quietly.

Just two weeks later, Jacqueline disappeared from campus. Her close friends said she went home but couldn’t disclose the issue. But rumours were all over that she was pregnant. I did not believe anything for a second because she was so smart and innocent. On top of that she had no boyfriend on campus and I kept my faith that she might have been sick.

This day was unusual for me. I was coming from registrar’s office. Suddenly I bumped into Jacqueline. “Hey Jacque, where have you been?” “I have been away and I just came to finalize few things I will be gone again.” She seemed a bit weird and she looked different. “Where are you going? What’s wrong?” She sighed before she could say a word. “See, I am pregnant” “Hee??” I made strange loud noise like I was electrocuted. It didn’t make sense. “Yes, the rumours are all true.” I looked straight into her eyes. “But how?” I couldn’t go without questions. “It’s a long story. I hope you now know the reason why I kept turning down your proposal. I was protecting you.” she walked away with tears.

As I was going back to the hostel I overhead some girls talking about Jacque and I stopped.

“So girls are you telling me that Jacque’s pregnancy is because of the rape case?”

My heart felt like it was running away from the chest cavity. I pretended dropping a book and picking it slowly to continue listening to them unnoticed.

“But why couldn’t she resort to abortion” the first girl asked.

 “Mmm the way I know her I don’t think she could agree to take away a life.” answered the second one.

From there I turned back. I took out my phone and dialed Jacqueline’s number but it went unanswered for three times. Quickly I phoned her Mesho who told me she had just left the room to catch a minibus going home. I rushed to the roadway and from a distance I saw her walking. “Jacque, wait!” I shouted! “Yesaya! What do you want again?” I could not wait to catch my running breath to say a word “Jacque, I still love you!! I love you Jacque.” I could not hide words. She was so amused. “What are you saying? I have already told you am pregnant…..” I jumped like a wild cat and embraced her “I know, even though you are pregnant, to me you are a virgin!”